Covering spindle



April 1, 1941.

O. W. SCHLUMS covERING 'SPINDLE Filed July 22, 1940 i j. 9 A 24 d Patented Apr. 1, 1941 COVERING SPINDLE Otto W. Schlums, Whitinsville, Mass., assigner to Whitin Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 22, 194D-, Serial No. 346,770

4 Claims.

penetrating, so that spindle bearings quickly load up with talc and the spindles drag and run below their scheduled speed. This produces irregular Winding and decreased thread value, as uniform winding is a prime requisite of high-grade covered thread.

It is the general object of my invention to improve the construction of such covering spindles and particularly to prevent entrance of dust and dirt to the bearings thereof.

Other objects of my invention are to provide improved means for lubricating the flier used on such spindles, .and to provide an improved guide for the thread to be covered.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which Fig. l is a sectional side elevation of a covering spindle embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a side view of .a cap, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1 and with the spring casing partially broken away;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cap;

Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation, taken along the line 4--4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a bottom View of the cap, looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is ,a plan View of the spring casing;

Fig. 7 a side elevation of a thread guide holder;

Fig. 8 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the thread guide; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional side elevation of a clamping nut.

Referring to the drawing, my improved covering spindle comprises a base I0 extending somewhat loosely through .an opening I I in a frame member' I2. The base is yieldingly seated on Said frame member by a heavy coil spring I4 engaging a washer I5 and compressed by a clamping nut I6. A center post is mounted in the base I@ and is secured therein by a thread guide holder 22 (Figs. 1, 7 and 8) having .a split threaded portion 23 and a split tapered portion 24. A thread guide 25, preferably in the form of a porcelain bushing, is mounted in the lower end of the holder 22 and is a press fit therein (or may be cemented therein if so preferred).

The holder 422 is slipped over the projecting lower end of the center post 20 and is securely clamped thereon by tightening a nut 2l on the portions 23 and 24 ci the holder. The inside of the nut has a tapered bearing portion 28' co-act- .the thread T as the thread is drawn upward through an axial opening 3l! in the center post 20.

An idle pulley or whirl 32 is mounted to rotate on an inner ball race 33 which extends into a recess 34 in the base Il) and which is secured therein by one or more clamping screws 35. The race 33 fits somewhat loosely in the recess 3d, so that tightening of the screw or screws 35 forces the race 33 against the post Ztl and thus serves also to hold the post 2l) from rotation.

All of the parts thus far'described, with the exception of the idle whirl 32, are normally nonrotatable.

A bearing support it is clamped to the center post 2d by binding screws 4I and non-rotatably supports the outer races l2 and 43 of upper and lower ball bearings in the covering spindle. The inner race 44 of the upper bearing is mounted on a tapered tube 45, free from the center post 20 but rotatable .about the axis thereof. A barrel 4S for the yarn package P is rmly seated on the vtapered tube 45 and rotates therewith.

The inner race 48 of the lower ball bearing is xed on a sleeve 49 extending upwardv from a driving whirl 50 which has an enlarged flange 5L fixed in .a recess in the lower end of the barrel 46 and rotatable therewith.

A sealing element is provided below the balls 5t of the upper bearing and above the balls 51 of the lower bearing. It is accordingly impossible for any dust or talc, which might nd its way downward between the rotated tube 45 and the center post 2) or upward between the sleeve 49 and the post 2l), to enter either of the ball bearings on which the barrel 46 and the yarn package P rotate. Furthermore, no dust or talc can enter through the press-nt bearing of the barrel 46 on the tube 45 or between the flange 5I and the enlarged lower end of the barrel 46.

Accordingly, the ball bearings are securely sealed from entrance of dirt or talc from either direction and will operate satisfactorily for long periods of time without becoming clogged or dragging at irregular speed.

The yarny package P commonly includes a paste-board tube 69 on which the yarn is wound and which is a sliding t on the barrel 45. A plurality of spring-pressed balls 5I may be 'providedf in the barrel, to supply additional driving contact with the sleeve B0.

A traveler 63 is loosely mounted on the upper end of the tapered tube 45 and isA provided with a yarn guide B4 through which the yarn Yis guided as it is drawn upwardfor winding on the.

thread T.

A cap lil is firmly mounted on the slightly taperedy upper end 'H of the center post 20 and is held fromv rotation thereby. As the yarn Y rotates' with theY yarn package P, centrifugal force will move the traveler 63 outward orto the left .in Fig. 1. 45 isz tapered, the traveler tends to move upward against the lower face of the cap 'l0 and is suitably retarded by= friction thereon.'

The details of construction of the traveler and its coaction with the tapered tube form the subject matter of: my Acopending application Serial No. 346,769, filed July 22, 1940.

Special' provision is made herein for lightly lubricating the traveler 63 and such provision is shown in detail in Figs 2 to 6.

An annular recess 74 is formed in the periphery oi' the cap 'l0 and is surrounded by a second annular. recess 'l5' which is wider but of less depth. Sixdownvvardlyv inclined radial openings 1T con,- nect the annular recess 'I4I withv an enlarged cylindrical bottom opening 'I8 which loosely receives the upperv end of the tapered tube 45.

A` wicking W is Wound in the recess 74 and Iis threaded in and out of the radial passages Tl to provide three chord-like portions Bil' which loosely contact the exteriorV of the rotating tapered tube 45.

A spring casing S2 'is seated in the outer annular recess l5 and the ends of the casing 82 closely abut when in operative position, thus forming a substantially continuous outer casing for the recess 14 which constitutes in effect an oil reservoir. Oil may befsupplied through an upwardly extended recess 85.

The oil thus supplied gradually travels along the wicking bycapillary action until it reaches the chord-like portionsl 80, where it is transferred to the. rotating tube 45 and serves to lubricate the traveler y63, which has a comparatively slow turning movement relative to the tube 45.

The method of voperation is readily understood As the outer .surface of the tube from the preceding description. A driving belt B runs on the loose pulley or whirl 32 when the spindle is at rest and is shifted lto the driving whirl 50 for a covering operation.

The package P is then rotated at substantial speed 4on the upper and lower ball bearings, and at the same time the thread T is drawn upward through the central passage 3B in the post 241.

The drag of the traveler 63 and the upward pull of the thread T causes the yarn Y to be wound uniformly on the outer surface of the thread. The frictional resistance of the traveler 23 may be varied by changing the weight of the traveler or removing some portion of stock therefrom;

In actual thread-covering operations, two spindles such as are herein described are commonly superposed and rotated inopposite direction. The thread T is drawn successively through the two spindles, thus receiving two covering layers of opposite wind.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. Ina covering spindle, a Xed center post, a yarn-supporting barrel rotatable about the axis of said post, a driving whirl fixed to said barrel, upper and lower ball bearings having inner races fixed vtosaid barrel and whirl respectively, and a supporting member for the outer races of said bearings whichv is xed to said center post.

2. In a covering spindle, a fixed center post, a yarn-supporting barrel rotatable about the axis ofr said post, a driving whirl xed to said barrel, upper and lower ball bearings having inner races fixed tor said barrel and whirl respectively, and a supporting member fixed to said center post and'interposed between said bearings and providing a fixed support for the outer races of said ball bearings.

3. In a covering spindle, a xed center post, a yarn-supporting barrel rotatable about the axis of said post, a driving whirl fixed to said barrel, upper and lower ball bearings having inner races xed to said barrel and whirl respectively, a supporting member for the outer races of said bearings which is fixed to said center post, and means to seal said bearings at the sides thereof adjacent said fixed supporting member.

4. In the combination in a covering spindle as set forth in claim 1, a fixed base for said center post having a recessed upper end, an idle whirl positioned below said driving whirl and forming the outer race of a ball bearing, an inner race for said ball bearing axially extended into the recess in said base member, and a single means to clamp both said inner race and said center post in said fixed base.

OTTO W. SCHLUMS. 

